"They look like members of Blue Man Group, but beyond that there’s nothing comedic about speedskating," Colbert says. "These are incredible athletes. My character isn’t ironically detached, he’s ironically a-ttached — things are important to him. And right now we’re here for speedskating.”

Colbert and Bob Crowley, the executive director of the program, struck a deal in which Colbert promoted the sport to its viewers in exchange for the skaters wearing skinsuits emblazoned with "Colbert Nation." Viewers have pitched in nearly $300,000 so far, just short of what the defunct sponsor had pledged. Traffic on the team's website has doubled.